The Unix version of The Jewellery Shopkeeper was developed to satisfy the needs of the larger wide area network installation.  Distributed processor networks such as Novell, work extremely well on a local area network, but become complicated or slow when working through slow modem circuits.  Even 64K Diginet is too slow for simple bridging of a LAN.  Good DOS wide area network performance can be obtained by using remote control software such as pcAnywhere, but the network becomes expensive and difficult to manage after a few remote sites are connected.

With Unix, all processing in done by the main computer - the users, connected via modem or LAN, only convey keyboard and display changes to and from the main computer - thus the network traffic is light and speed is good for all users.  Low cost terminals, or PC's running terminal emulation software, are used (only if the user has other jobs to do on his/her workstation will a more powerful workstation be required).  A Unix server has to be more powerful than an equivalent Novell server, due to the fact that is doing more of the work, but with today's more powerful computers and low-cost memory this is not an issue.

Unix enhancements to The Jewellery Shopkeeper:

• Extended the maximum number of branches (stores) from a maximum of 20 in the DOS version, to a maximum of 200.
• Added Customer category control so as to provide periodic reports showing sales, payment and balance totals for each customer category - e.g. Cash, Staff, Lay-by, Insurance, Repairs. - by branch and total.

The only features sacraficed are the following:

1. Graphics of sales analysis
2. Mouse support

The data files are compatible with the DOS version, so if sales analysis graphs are required, the analysis files can be read, and graphed, by a DOS version of The Jewellery Shopkeeper.

Price for the Linux version of The Jewellery Shopkeeper have been completely revised so as to be in line with the Windows/DOS versions and it is now viable for even the smallest installation. See price list.

The Unix version has been compiled for SCO Operserver release 5 as well as all flavours of Linux.